Monthly Wrap-Ups

October 2017 Wrap-Up (Part 1)

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Sons from Afar by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 6)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  October 2 – 5
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The way James and Sammy both admire each other, with neither of them realizing it.
Least Favorite Thing:  Not enough Dicey & Gram.

I was right in this post, to expect that I would like this book more now that I’m older. I even rated it higher than I had in the past.

My Posts About Sons from Afar

Seventeen Against the Dealer by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 7)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 5 – 6
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The way Dicey thinks about things.
Least Favorite Thing:  Cisco. (Please read that name with your lip curled up in disgust, because that’s how I think it and how I typed it.)

Wow. I was right to expect it to be different to read when I was older. Not good different or bad different, but different.

The best way I can think to explain it is:  When I was younger and I read it, I was reading it with the kind of optimism about the future that mostly only people under 18 have, even the ones who don’t think they really have it much. Because no matter what was going on I thought pretty much like I always had with all the other books, that everything would fall into place and work out because Dicey deserved for it to. And because that’s what I was reading it for, when Dicey feels satisfied with the way she’s moving forward at the end, I felt like everything had fallen into place and worked out.

Now though, I see it more realistically. Things don’t work out because you deserve for them to or because you want them, but even when things don’t work out the way you dreamed, there’s usually something you can still do to pick yourself up and keep going with your life, whichever way you go. Not that it’s all hunky-dory, of course, but if you look at things with an eye to solve problems and keep surviving, that’s almost always what you’ll do eventually, even if it doesn’t feel good the whole time and even if it isn’t the way you wanted it to be.

I feel like this book was trying to teach me something my whole life, and I got it, but I didn’t get it.

It’s a great book, but it’s a hard one too. Because you only want things to work out the way they ought to and be simpler, and you have to grow your thoughts up right alongside Dicey as you read. And the process doesn’t feel very good most of the time, though there are bright spots, but in the end you feel satisfied with yourself and with the book.

This bit got a lot longer than I usually have it, but I can’t see a single thing I’m willing to take out, so long it will have stay.

My Posts About Seventeen Against the Dealer

Empress of the World by Sara Ryan
(Battle Hall Davies, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  October 12
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Nic’s insistence on “bisexual”.
Least Favorite Thing:  It’s a tie between everyone else insisting on saying Nic was gay/lesbian and her straight friend Katrina making every single thing about Nic and Battle into something sexual as if queer relationships aren’t about anything except sex.  (Note:  I didn’t enjoy reading those things, but they are totally accurate so I wouldn’t want them removed from the book.)

I read this book once before when I was in middle school or early high school. I decided to reread it because there’s something about the cover art and title that constantly bring me back to it even though it’s not exactly a mind-blowing piece of writing. But I can actually remember clearly the exact moment I first saw this book on a shelf, and if you know anything about me and my terrible memory, you know that’s a huge deal.

I did have a couple of complaints, but they are small:

  • There was something off-putting about the way all Nic’s straight friends kept saying “dyke” all the time… Maybe Yankees use the word more than Southerners and that’s why I’m not used to it, but it practically made me flinch every time.
    (It’s only used as an insult a couple times, the rest are it being used in place of the words “gay” or “lesbian”, but in my life I’ve only ever heard anyone use that specific word on tv, even my queer friends never used it.)
  • It didn’t feel like there was a plot? I’m sure there must have been, and I guess it was that the romance was the entire plot, but honestly it barely felt like it had a plot at all. I’m assuming that I am just not used to novels that are literally about romance and nothing else at all.

Overall it was a decent book and it was nice to see a portrayal of the different ways bisexuality is erased and dismissed by other people.

My Posts About Empress of the World

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  August 2 – October 13
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  THE LETTER!!!!!
Least Favorite Thing:  Anne’s family…

I no longer hate Persuasion. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it either. It’s just as well written as all Austen’s novels, even if I couldn’t get into it, and I’m so glad to have finally read it all the way through.

I finished this book for The Cookie Read-A-Thon 🙂

My Posts About Persuasion

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
(Gallagher Girls, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  October 13 – 14
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Mr. Moscowitz during the final!
Least Favorite Thing:  D’Man.

I’m pretty glad I decided to reread this one and see if I wanted to finish the series (which I never did the first time I found this book, back in middle school.

I read this book for The Cookie Read-A-Thon 🙂

My Posts About I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
(Gallagher Girls, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  October 15
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The suitemates’ friendship makes me happy.
Least Favorite Thing:  Cammie doesn’t question things enough man… Or when she does she forgets them almost immediately.

I can’t believe someone actually debated who would make a better Gallagher Girl between Buffy and Veronica Mars when the answer is so clearly and unarguably Veronica. Buffy wouldn’t know stealth if it kicked her in the face…

Also I don’t actually remember reading this book before, but somehow I knew about Blackthorne? That is, I knew it was a boys school when Cammie overheard that first conversation and I knew it was specifically “Blackthorne Institute” so….???

I had a short feeling of Second Book Syndrome, but the book was engaging enough that I could just keep reading through it and luckily it didn’t last very long.

I read this book for The Cookie Read-A-Thon 🙂

My Posts About Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Part 2

 

September 2017 Wrap-Up (Part 1)

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
(Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 1
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  “Look would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”
Least Favorite Thing:  Vogon poetry 😦

I can’t believe how long it took me to get around to reading this. I think it’s because it is one of those things everyone talks about reading (or they’ve seen the movie), so I just sort of tuned it out. But I had seen examples of Douglas Adams’ writing and I knew I would enjoy it if I just did it, and I was right! I definitely recommend this book.

My Posts About The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 1 – 2
Read Count:  3  (Pretty sure I’ve read it more than that, but only 3 that I can be sure of.)
Favorite Thing:  That scene where Jeff and Mina both visited the farm for the first time and met all the other Tillermans and everybody sat around singing songs and it was cheesy and cozy and perfect!
Least Favorite Thing:  Dicey’s English teacher…blech.

My Posts About Dicey’s Song

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
Rating:  ★★★★★
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  September 2 – 7
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The colors of the story.
Least Favorite Thing:  That freakin’ Reese douche.

I normally don’t enjoy books that are as romance-centric as When the Moon Was Ours, but everything about this story was beautiful and I’m so glad it got recommended to me.

My Posts About When the Moon Was Ours

A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 3)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 7 – 8
Read Count:  3  (Pretty sure I’ve read it more than that, but only 3 that I can be sure of.)
Favorite Thing:  The relationship between Jeff and his dad in Part Two.
Least Favorite Thing:  Fucking Melody. Ugh. Double ugh. I had forgotten just how manipulative and emotionally abusive Melody was to Jeff and his father!

My Posts About A Solitary Blue

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
(The Lynburn Legacy, book 1)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  September 8 – 11
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Angela’s rudeness.
Least Favorite Thing:  THE FUCKING ENDING WTF???????? IT BETTER BE SOME KIND OF FUCKING TRICK I SWEAR TO GOD!

I was hesitant about this book at first, but I’m very glad I read it (even if I’m also very mad). There were many moments where it had me literally laughing out loud.

My Posts About Unspoken

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
(Daughter of Smoke & Bone, book 1)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 12 – 14
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  That masqued ball scene.
Least Favorite Thing:  When Laini turns her spectacular powers of descriptive language against us and describes things like Razgut and Bain… I needed 10 showers after that whole beard thing.

To my mind, DoSaB isn’t as good as Strange the Dreamer, but it’s still really good and really hard to put down!

Also I’m still filled with jealousy every time it’s mentioned that Karou just wishes knowledge of new languages into her collection. No fair, no share!

My Posts About Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Part 2

September 2017 Wrap-Up (Part 2)

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Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan
(The Lynburn Legacy, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  September 15 – 17
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Rusty. Perfect Rusty.
Least Favorite Thing:  Rob Lynburn is so skeezy I need 10 showers every time he talks…

Welp, I’m not mad about the thing I was mad about at the end of the first book anymore because it was explained and resolved in a very satisfying manner. However! I am frustrated because I have made several connections based on information Kami has already that she has not made and I have no way of climbing into the book to tell her!

My Posts About Untold

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
(Daughter of Smoke & Bone, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 17 – 20
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  That fucking fruit basket/note thing!
Least Favorite Thing:  Thiago. Obviously.

The close second for favorite thing was the trio of Akiva, Liraz, and Hazael. Sweet murder siblings.

But it was deeply infuriating waiting for Karou to figure out that Thiago and Ten were playing her! It seemed so damn obvious!

One thing that bugged me about the book though, there was a mention when explaining the whole “Angel-lover” insult where it says “in all Karou’s human languages, there was no insult so loaded with disgust and contempt, no single word that cast such a pall of filth” and I actually had to stop for a minute because I was annoyed. I mean… It’s really obvious what real life insult it resembles and yet it’s supposedly worse than anything in any human language. Ok Laini. Sure. (To clarify, I by no means think this was some intentional slight intended by the author, it’s just something that really bothered me personally.)

My Posts About Days of Blood & Starlight

The Runner by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 20 – 21
Read Count:  3  (Pretty sure I’ve read it more than that, but only 3 that I can be sure of.)
Favorite Thing:  Reading him running, of course.
Least Favorite Thing:  The Phone Call. I’m still crying even though I always know it’s coming.

I want to warn potential readers, for a good half of this book Bullet is a racist. Not a “death to all black people” kind of racist, you won’t have to read depictions of him committing violence against black people, but an “I don’t mix with them” sort of racist, and you will see his thoughts about it several times. Part of his journey in this book is him learning that he’s wrong to just arbitrarily dislike people who are black. I didn’t want anyone getting blindsided by that in the beginning of the book.

My Posts About The Runner

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
(Daughter of Smoke & Bone, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★★
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 23 – 27
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  We Haven’t Been Introduced
Seriously this is easily my favorite part of the whole book. I grin like an idiot and squeal internally just thinking about it. Like just now, I briefly recalled parts of the book I enjoyed to evaluate them for a favorite and when I came to this one I actually hid my face and giggled so I feel like it’s really no contest.
Least Favorite Thing:  Morgan Toth’s pillowy lips…

I actually raised my rating of this book from 4 stars (from back in 2014) to 5 because it’s definitely the best of the trilogy for me.

My Posts About Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Come A Stranger by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 5)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  September 28 – 29
Read Count:  3  (Pretty sure I’ve read it more than that, but only 3 that I can be sure of.)
Favorite Thing:  Mina’s laughter.
Least Favorite Thing:  Racist teachers, blech.

I learned so much from Mina back in middle school when I first read this book. So much was changing for me and reading a book where that was happening to a character who was dynamic and strong was so helpful at that time.

My Posts About Come A Stranger

In Progress

August 2017 Wrap-Up (Part 2)

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Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
(Strange the Dreamer, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★★
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  August 18 – 25
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Lazlo’s love of and respect for books and stories.
Least Favorite Thing:  Thyon Nero’s love of and respect for nothing. (The little prick.)

I spent 1/4 of my time reading this book going back and forth checking the prologue against things I learned to try and brace myself for the inevitable utter fucking heartbreak of the ending!

Trigger Warning:  Descriptions of the Carnage include the murder of infants. It doesn’t go into gory detail, it’s a little more abstract, but it’s still vivid and mentioned many times.

My Posts About Strange the Dreamer

Specials by Scott Westerfeld
(Uglies, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  August 16 – 27
Read Count:  2  (I really think I read this one other time, but I haven’t got a record of it…)
Favorite Thing:  Special Tally’s Special skillz!
Least Favorite Thing:  The way Shay treats Tally…

Raise your hand if you want to be a little teen angst Special!
No? Just me? Well then…

Seriously though, the Specials are so cool, if only they weren’t Like That (looking at you Shay!). I honestly wouldn’t mind a whole separate book that’s just Tally’s adventures as a lone Special.

Trigger Warning:  Self-harm (cutting, some passing mention of burning). Only one character really treats it like it’s a bad thing, everyone else treats it as normal and/or good for the majority of the book.

My Posts About Specials

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
(The Tillerman Cycle, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  August 28 – 29
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  “Parents?” “Not noticeably.”
Least Favorite Thing:  Eunice…

I missed this series so much! I’m sitting here now (having just finished it) with a warm, fuzzy contentment that only the most special books give me. Thank goodness for Cynthia Voigt.

My Posts About Homecoming

The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine
(The Impostor Queen, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  August 29 – 31
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Scrappy little (bisexual) protag 🙂
Least Favorite Thing:  Kill marks… (Why does every author feel the need to have a raider race that cuts themselves as a mark of honor? Can we stop that?)

This one was better than the first book. Somewhat less predictable, less annoying protag, more interesting people around the protag.

Trigger Warning: Self-harm (cutting). The protag glorifies it along with pretty much everyone else in her tribe, but towards the end of the book she seems to have realized it’s not a good thing. However, it is never explicitly decried.

My Posts About The Cursed Queen

Ash by Malinda Lo
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  August 31
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The Fairy Tales
Least Favorite Thing:  Lady Isobel (duh)

I’m not 100% sure how to feel about this book. That is, I liked it, it’s a nice story, but it’s not what I was expecting. I’ll try to review it soon.

My Posts About Ash

In Progress

August 2017 Wrap-Up (Part 1)

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Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  July 30 – August 7
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  The author’s habit of giving back-handed praise to her characters. (For an example see the second quote in this post.)
Least Favorite Thing:  Willoughby whining about how much he was suffering under the pretense of seeking forgiveness, but really just trying to make himself feel better.

I did downgrade my rating of Sense and Sensibility from 4 stars to 3 stars, with every intention of explaining that here, but my explanation got too wordy so I included it in my rating post instead. (TL;DR I still like and recommend this book!)

My Posts About Sense and Sensibility

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
(Little Blue Envelope, book 2)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  August 6 – 8
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The picturesque descriptions of her travel destinations.
Least Favorite Thing:  Keith.

It was neither bad nor good. I will never read it again or even want to. The idea of being sent on an adventure by a quirky relative will remain fun and delightful. However, if such a thing should ever happen to me I will control my hormones and focus on my adventure.

NEVER GETTING OVER THE LAME-ASS SWOONING WTF WTF WTF

My Posts About The Last Little Blue Envelope

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine
(The Impostor Queen, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  August 9 – 10
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  BISEXUAL PROTAG (Literally the first time I’ve ever seen one in a fantasy novel!)
Least Favorite Thing:  First person narration… (I’m just not a fan, I feel like it hindered the story’s movement.)

It took longer to get into this book than I usually have patience for, but I’m glad I kept at it (thank you goodreads reviews) because I did end up liking the story and I look forward to reading the next book (even if I’m pretty sure I know exactly what’s going to happen).

My Posts About The Impostor Queen

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
(Uglies, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  August 11 – 15
Read Count:  2  (Pretty sure I read this one other time, but didn’t keep a record of it.)
Favorite Thing:  Wilderness Tally
Least Favorite Thing:  Pretty slang… (It’s totally bogus!)

Tally’s fairytale dreams are so bizarre, I love them.

And I know I should be horrified by the reveal at the very end (and I think the first time I read it I actually was), but I love that too!

Trigger Warning:  Self-harm (cutting). Tally (POV) is horrified, but the people doing it treat it like a religious experience.

My Posts About Pretties

Crashed by Robin Wasserman
(Cold Awakening, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  August 10 – 17
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The struggles faced by the mechs against the prejudiced people who would oppress them are brutally allegorical.
Least Favorite Thing:  I….I didn’t like….anyone….

My library doesn’t have the third and final book, but I’ll figure something out because I definitely want to finish the trilogy.

My Posts About Crashed

Part 2

July 2017 Wrap-Up

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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Rating:  ★★★★★
Reading Dates:  July 6 – 11
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Regency Snark™
Least Favorite Thing:  Lizzie’s mom is even more annoying in the books than she is in the screen adaptations and I had completely forgotten that. That is, she’s just as annoying, but she’s more long-winded in the novel.

I know a lot of people find classics dull, and granted there are quite a few incredibly dull classic novels, but this book is worth a read. There are many scenes that had me laughing out loud and calling other people to read a bit to them so they could appreciate it too.

My Posts About Pride and Prejudice

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle, book 3
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  June 29 – July 17
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  “It was 6:21.”
Least Favorite Thing:  Casual racism…yikes.

I should be posting a Raven Cycle post soon to talk about the series as a whole.

As for this one… The Unmaker gives me anxiety, I love all the Pynch, and Maggie really didn’t do Henry Cheng justice. Oh, and I’m proud of the Gray Man.

My Posts About The Raven King

The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Reading Dates:  July 30 (read it in a day for the Read-A-Thon)
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Witchcraft meets midwifery 🙂
Least Favorite Thing:  The freaking elders, like, fuck those dudes AND their bitchy wives…

I’m working on a review, hopefully have it up soon. I do definitely recommend this book. It’s easy to get through, but don’t expect a lot of action.

*** Update: I posted the review! ***

My Posts About The Beast is an Animal

June 2017 Wrap-Up

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A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
(A Court of Thorns and Roses, book 3)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  June 8 – 9
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Feyre’s extremely satisfying manipulation of the Spring Court in part one OR sassy Azriel.
Least Favorite Thing:  Tamlin’s entire personality….

I may write a review of this book later, but at the moment I’m not sure I can do so coherently, so I’ll just leave a few thoughts here:
Once again Sarah has upped the amount of smut! Overall the book was well-written (and wow I especially loved the fights), but there were some brief instances of iffy stereotypes that rubbed me the wrong way. And as always, Tamlin-heavy scenes gave me anxiety attacks, but Inner Circle banter made it all better.

My Posts About A Court of Wings and Ruin

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
(The Raven Cycle, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  June 9 – 10 & June 10 – 30
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  Sass sass sass sass SASS!
Least Favorite Thing:  Barrington Whelk.

So I read this book twice this month, once on my own and quickly, and the second time with a friend a little at a time while reading the rest of the series myself.

If you are interested in the magical realism genre, you should definitely try The Raven Cycle books.

My Posts About The Raven Boys

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
(The Raven Cycle, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  June 12 – 19
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  That entire scene in the Dollar City.
Least Favorite Thing:  Kavinsky is deeply annoying… (Um “substance party”? Ugh…)

I also really loved The Gray Man. I just enjoy the way he thinks about things, it’s so calming to read. And every interaction between him and the Fox Way ladies is just gold.

I have to admit — and I feel terrible about it — I don’t like Adam in this book hardly at all. He’s occasionally frustrating in the The Raven Cycle, but in The Dream Thieves he crosses the line to just plain unlikable.

My Posts About The Dream Thieves

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
(The Raven Cycle, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  June 20 – 26
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Greenmantle dialogue!
Least Favorite Thing:  Greenmantle actions…

I love Jessie Dittley, I would like to request a Jessie Dittley from the universe, please.

My Posts About Blue Lily, Lily Blue

April 2017 Wrap-Up

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
(A Court of Thorns and Roses, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  April 12 – 13
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Rhys, the very last time he speaks to Feyre. (I won’t say more in case people haven’t read this before.)
Least Favorite Thing:  Tamlin still gives me the heebie-jeebies even when I’m supposed to be liking him. I told someone when I first read it, there was something about him I didn’t like, and rereading it just reinforced that feeling of icky-ness I get from his behavior. He just always feels very manipulative and reminds me of an ex or two…

Tamlin is actually the reason I only read this book once, even though I read the sequel (A Court of Mist and Fury) 4 or 5 times. This reread happened because I knew I would need the Spring Court people fresh in my mind for A Court of Wings and Ruin.

My Posts About A Court of Thorns and Roses

March 2017 Wrap-Up

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Skinned by Robin Wasserman
(Cold Awakening, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆
Reading Dates:  February 23, 2017 – March 7, 2017
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Quinn!
Lease Favorite Thing:  Literally everyone else in Lia’s life… (except maybe Auden)

This series was republished with new titles with ‘Skinned’ being retitled as ‘Frozen’.

I know I only gave this a 3 star rating, but that was only because I was so annoyed with how long it took Lia to finally see the truth, not because the book is bad. In fact, I really debated rating it higher because I don’t want anyone to think it’s not worth the read and it totally is.

My Posts About Skinned/Frozen

Frostblood by Elly Blake
(Frostblood Saga, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  March 8, 2017
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Elemental magic + blood magic = fucking awesome
Least Favorite Thing:  The whole “he’s always so mean, but those 5 times he was nice made me fall in love with him” trope that this book, like so many others, employs… Honestly I’m so sick of that shit.

I sped through this in a day because I had to give it back to the library, and now I have to suffer the wait for the second book!

I also love the irony of the protag being a Fireblood when it’s called ‘Frostblood’.

My Posts About Frostblood

February 2017 Wrap-Up

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Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
(Prophecy of the Sisters, book 1)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆
Reading Dates:  January 28 – February 5
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The mad reverence for books that the entire family seems to have.
Least Favorite Thing:  Info Dump Tea Parties and a main character who didn’t seem interesting enough to be a main character…

I hate to say it, but I can’t really recommend this book to anyone. I’d have given it a lower rating than 2 stars, but I’m basing this on Goodreads ratings, which says 2 stars means “it was ok” and that’s basically what this book was. It was “ok” and nothing more.

My Posts About Prophecy of the Sisters

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Reading Dates:  February 6 – 7
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The healing songs and the little illustrations included throughout.
Least Favorite Thing:  Okay, I’ve been sitting for an hour now trying to think of a thing I didn’t like (that wasn’t just a character I wasn’t even supposed to like) and I genuinely can’t think of anything! I’ll try again later.

I would recommend this book to fans of fairy tale retellings and middle grade fantasy. I’ve read it three separate times, which should give you an idea of how enjoyable it is. I chose it this time as a palate cleanser after the disappointment of Prophecy of the Sisters.

My Posts About Book of a Thousand Days

The Tale of Oriel by Cynthia Voigt
(Tales of the Kingdom, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★★
Reading Dates:  December 7, 2016 – February 10, 2017
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  The way Oriel thinks about things. Especially his likening himself to a river.
Least Favorite Thing:  Fucking Tintage….

This one took me a little while longer than usual because I hit a slump while I was reading it and even once I pulled myself out of it, I didn’t immediately go back to this one.

My Posts About The Tale of Oriel

The Tale of Elske by Cynthia Voigt
(Tales of the Kingdom, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★★★
Reading Dates:  February 11 – 19
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The fearless, matter-of-fact way Elske approaches each new experience.
Least Favorite Thing:  As Oriel would have said, Beriel used her friend (Elske) ill. (And not even just once, like damn….)

My Posts About The Tale of Elske

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆
Reading Dates:  February 22 – 23
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The usage of psychology terms and definitions for chapter headings was interesting.
Least Favorite Thing:  The characterization was crappy. All of the characters felt forced. Blech!

***ABANDONED***

I abandoned this book after trying for two days to read a novel that would normally take me only half a day and only making it to page 28. I give more details in my review.

My Posts About Psych Major Syndrome